Britains Role In 20th Century International History Essay

Britains Role In 20th Century International History - Essay Example The Australian colonies were united into an autonomous Dominion in 1901 with the federal government located at Melbourne before being moved to Canberra in 1927. New Zealand became a Dominion in 1907. All four South African colonies were federated into autonomous Dominion Union of South Africa in 1910 (Reynolds 127). The granting of autonomy to the Irish Free State reduced the territory of the United Kingdom to Great Britain in 1921. It can be argued that the British Empire was at its peak in the 1920s after World War One when it Gained most of the German territories in Africa and Ottoman provinces including Palestine and Iraq in the Middle East by mandate granted by the League of Nations (Reynolds 127).At the Balfour Declaration in 1926, Britain and its Dominions agreed that they were not subordinate to each other another in aspects of both domestic and external affairs though united by common allegiance to the crown and freely associated as members of the British Common Wealth Of Na tions. They were also granted the right to secede (Reynolds 127). World War Two (1939-45) demonstrated the royalty of the Dominions to the empire as in 1939 the Australian prime minister acknowledged his country’s involvement in war by virtue of Britain’s declaration of war on Germany and as a result, Australia was at war, again in 1940 gold in millions of pounds was shipped to Canada in preparation for relocation of the British Royal Family if the situation of war escalated (Reynolds 127).... New Zealand became a Dominion in 1907. All four South African colonies were federated into autonomous Dominion of Union of South Africa in 1910 (Reynolds 127). The granting of autonomy to the Irish Free State reduced the territory of the United Kingdom to Great Britain in 1921. It can be argued that the British Empire was at its peak in the 1920s after World War One when it gained most of German territories in Africa and Ottoman provinces including Palestine and Iraq in the Middle East by mandate granted by the League of Nations (Reynolds 127). At the Balfour Declaration in 1926, Britain and its Dominions agreed that they were not subordinate to each other another in aspects of both domestic and external affairs though united by common allegiance to the crown and freely associated as members of the British Common Wealth Of Nations. The Statute of West Minister in 1931 granted full autonomy to The Dominions of Canada, union of South Africa, Irish Free states Australia and New Zealand they were collectively referred to as the British common wealth. They were also granted the right to secede (Reynolds 127). World War Two (1939-45) demonstrated the royalty of the Dominions to the empire as in 1939 the Australian prime minister acknowledged his country’s involvement in war by virtue of Britain’s declaration of war on Germany and as a result, Australia was at war, again in 1940 gold in millions of pounds was shipped to Canada in preparation for relocation of the British Royal Family if the situation of war escalated (Reynolds 127). The empire was to further expand in 1945 after the war, occupying most of Italian territories in Africa and huge areas of the Middle East to secure